NEW DELHI, Dec 8: During his upcoming one-day visit to Bangladesh on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is set to address India’s worries regarding attacks on Hindus and other minorities. This trip marks the first high-profile visit from New Delhi after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule ended due to a large-scale uprising in August.
Misri will engage in extensive discussions with his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Jashim Uddin and is also expected to meet with the country’s acting foreign minister, Mohammad Touhid Hossain.
Furthermore, the Indian foreign secretary may pay a visit to Bangladesh’s interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, during his nearly 12-hour stay in Dhaka.
Bangladesh is likely to express its own concerns regarding India’s continued support for Hasina, particularly after Yunus indicated last month that his government would seek her extradition from India, according to sources familiar with Misri’s visit.
The relationship between India and Bangladesh has significantly strained following Hasina’s departure amid massive protests in August, with Yunus assuming power shortly after she took refuge in India. Recent weeks have seen further deterioration, fueled by violence against Hindus and the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
A series of violent incidents targeting Hindus and other minorities, along with attacks on temples, have raised serious alarm in New Delhi. “We believe it’s crucial for the interim government to fulfill its obligation to protect all minority communities,” stated External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on November 29.
“We are troubled by the rise in extremist rhetoric, an increase in violent incidents, and numerous provocations. These issues should not merely be viewed as media exaggerations. We once again urge Bangladesh to implement all necessary measures for the protection of minorities,” he added.
India is also hopeful that the case involving Bangladeshi monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested on sedition charges, will be resolved fairly and transparently.
In meetings, the Bangladeshi officials may bring up the recent incident where a group of protesters stormed their mission in Agartala. Following this, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry summoned Indian envoy Pranay Verma on Tuesday to lodge a formal protest regarding the event.
Protests have erupted across West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura over the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, as well as the arrest of Das, who was detained at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport last month in connection with a sedition case.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday that Misri is visiting Dhaka to participate in a Foreign Office Consultation meeting. “The foreign secretary will be in Bangladesh on December 9 for Foreign Office Consultations as part of our regular structured interactions with the Bangladeshi side,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal commented briefly. (Agencies)
